Humidifying apparatus



Jan. 2, 1951 E. w. BOTTUM 2,536,257

HUMIDIFYING APPARATUS Filed June 13, 1946 IN VEN TOR. [Eh/4P0 /1./ zgorru/v MZ/ZQW Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES RATENT OFFICE HUIViIDIFYING APPARATUS Edward W. Bottum, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Shuttle Manufacturing Company,

Detroit,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to humidifiers of a character and arrangement oi parts especially adapted for use with steam, hot air or hot water heating systems.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and unique arrangement or" parts including a vapor generating unit by means of which moisture is discharged in the form of vapor into the atmosphere 01' a room and thereby prevents shrinkage of moisture absorbent articles in the room.

These and other features and objects of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and a humidiiying apparatus emboying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic representation of the several parts of my improved humidifier apparatus.

In its preferred form the apparatus embodying my invention includes a hermetically sealed generator tube l, which extends into the high temperature part or a furnace and on the other end of tube i, which projects out of the furnace, is a jacket 2. The generator tube l contains a small charge Id of a vaporizable material such as water and preferably the portion of tube i, within the furnace, is inclined to the horizontal so that the charge runs to'the lower end within the furnace. Tube i should preferably be evacuated when charged to remove air. The end of tube i, exteriorly of the furnace is enclosed by jacket 2 which preferably is vertically. positioned. The jacket 2 has an outlet 3 opening to a room exteriorly of the furnace and water is discharged to the jacket 2 by means of a conduit 3 opening at the bottom end of a settling tank 5. The settling tank 5 is provided with an opening in its bottom to which one end of the tube 6 opens and the opposite end of tube 6 opens to a chamber i provided by a cross wall la of a float tank 8. Within the float tank is a float 9, having an arm II which is pivotally supported on the outer side wall it or" the tank by means of a bracket 9a and an adjustable element Ha provides for maintenance of a desired water level in the chamber between the partition la and the wall H3. A valve controlled inlet lb has a threaded end I2 for connecting with a water supply conduit.

A metering wick IT, or series of such wicks depending upon the size of the apparatus, has the opposite ends thereof overlying the partition to. The wick or wicks function by capillary attraction to discharge water in limited amount per unit of time from the tank 8 through the tube 2 =5 to the settling tank and thence to the generator jacket 2. The wick may be made of any material having high capillary attraction such as fibers, ceramics, etc. Particularly satisfactory is a Wick made of glass iibers sintered together and pressed while hot.

In operation, heat irom the furnace quickly raporizes the small charge in sealed tube I. As the vaporized charge comes in contact with the cooler portion of the tube enclosed by jacket 2', condensation takes place and the liquid charge is continuously runningback tube i into the furnace to be revaporized. The temperature of the sealed tube 5 is considerably above the boiling point of water due to the fact that pressure within the tube will build up considerably above atmospheric pressure in the case of a water charge la. The thermodynamic properties of the charge of course govern the particular temperature-pressure relationship, but in the case of a water charge it is normal for pressures within the tube to run as high as 50 lbs. per sq. inch and may run higher, depending upon the amount of charge considered consistent with safety requirements.

The iioat mechanism heretofore described serves to keep the portion of tank 3 between partition Ea and end it filled to a constant water level. The wick or wicks it through capillary action discharge a definite quantity of water per unit of time into the space i, the Water filling tube 5 and rising to partially fill settling tank 5. The temperature of settling tank is kept su'" ciently high to cause impurities to settle on the bottom of the tank, heat being transmitted from jacket 2 through conduit by means of hot water or vapor.

Provision is made for cleaning out settling tank '5 to remove impurities when necessary. This ma be accomplished by removing cover Water from settling tank 5 flows into jacket 2 through conduit as required and is vaporized by heat given on by the upper end portion of scaled tube l. Vapor passes through the outlet 3 and is conducted through pipe or tubes to the space to be humidified or to a warm air plenum. The apparatus is automatic in its operation.

While I have shown and described the generator tube as extending into a furnace such as is used in house heating systems it may be used in conjunction with other types of heating equipment and while I have ter tied the gene -.ting element i, as a sealed tube, it may be or" olid material such as a rod, its function being to transmit heat to the water or other vaporizabie material in the generator jacket 2. Metering wicks I! and partition 1a could be entirely eliminated their only function being to supply the apparatus with Water at a constant rate and thus prevent possible over humidification in some cases. However, the wicks and partitions could be eliminated if desired. v V

My improved humidifier provides several advantages heretofore not provided for.

(1) Through the wicks I1, a means is pro vided for controlling rate of humidification. & I

(2) The generator tube l requires only one hole for insertions into the furnace making for easy installation. It is not necessary to make any pipe connections within the furnace.

(3) It is impossible for leaks todevelop into the furnace since no water isca'r'rid into the furnace under line pressure.

(4) Due to the small amount of charge to be heat d. e ap ar t s e o d Ave y rapid y o cycling of the heating system and this is of parci l r adven a eflin i t rm ten lvfi y em gt is believed evident from the foregoing description that my improved humidifying apparatus is comparatively simple and inexpensive i construction and functions automatically in u v namoi tureit a nfin space fiavingthus briefly described my invention, its u ility a mod f. era on, what I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United ta s m J j 1. A humidifier for maintaining a desired moisture content in the atmosphere of an enplosed space wh ich functions automatically to supply moisture to the atmosphere in accordance withtemperature variations in the heating champerr gf a furnace, said humidifier comprising a vapongenerator jacket adapted to be disposed ekteriorly pf the furnace and having an opening t o atmosphere, a sealed tube adapted to extend into said g enerator jacket and having one end adapted f 9r insertion into the heating chamber of the furnace and means for metering a limited supply of water to said generator jacket comprisin a tan}; connected with a source of supply, a valvefor controllingflowof water to the tank, a iioat in the tank operatively associated with the valve for maintaining a constant level of water in the tank, said tank having a transverse partition adjacent the end thereof, a wick positioned on the upper end of the partition and having its end portions on the respective opposite sides thereof whereby through capillary attraction water is caused to pass from the inlet side of the tank to the chamber prpvided by the partruth anda conduit leading from said chamber to the jacket.

2. A humidifier for maintaining a desired moisture content in the atmosphere of an enclosed spate which functions automatically to supply moisture; to the atmosphere commensuratewiththetemperature variations within the heating chamber of a furnace, said humidifier comprising avapor generator jacket having an opening toatfhbsphere, and means for supplying alimited quantity of water to said jacket and for preventing the accurnulation of liquid water i se iieek i el dl; aahea ne m ats pt to be nam ng the fur ce for conuctin g heat rei' h han imm se m e jacket commensurate with the t'e'fnperatur the heating chamber to vaporize and ma the water wi'th'insai'd enerator jack tin avapor see we e oi em of liq d re i g etq fiqnq crem ted. ance s itember, and a wick for supplying the. '1 incl water from, said "so c'e of fsupnfy. to said 'gener 'tbjr jacket by capillary attraction at a rate canines surate with; the vaporization rate thereof by. said heating means V. EDWARD W. B QTTUM,

teammate The following, references are of record inthe file of this patent:

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